Railway electrification
Topic: Transport and Communication in India · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Railway electrification means putting up overhead power lines so trains can run on electric engines instead of diesel or steam. Electric trains are cheaper to run, cleaner and quicker to speed up. Indian Railways had electrified over 99% of its broad gauge network by 2025. Its target is net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, meaning it would add no extra carbon to the air overall (verify current).
Example
Busy trunk routes across the northern plains, such as the Delhi-Kolkata line, now run almost entirely on electric engines.
Don't confuse with
- Project Unigauge: converts metre and narrow gauge lines to broad gauge, which changes the width of the track. Electrification changes the source of power, not the track.